The present invention relates to a computerized method for creating a two-dimensional or three-dimensional finite element model of a rubber composite comprising a rubber matrix and fillers, capable of improving the accuracy of computer simulations.
In recent years, a finite element method is widely employed in various computer simulations. In such computer simulation, an analysis object is discretized into a finite number of elements, and a finite element model is created by the use of the elements. The finite element model is provided with various characteristics, and a deformation calculation is made by calculating displacements of nodes of the elements.
In the case that the analysis object is a rubber composite (b) comprising a rubber matrix (c) and fillers (d) dispersed therein, a finite element model (a) including a model (g) of the rubber matrix (c) and models (h) of the fillers (d) is defined, for example, by using rectangular elements (e) as shown in FIG. 20(a).
In such finite element model (a), due to the rectangles, the surface of a filler model (h) has remarkable concavity and convexity (i) as shown in FIG. 20(b). As a result, at the boundary between the filler model (h) and the rubber matrix model (g), the contact range (area) therebetween becomes increased, and the rubber matrix model (g) is restrained by the filler models (h) and the deformation is inhibited since the rubber has incompressibility and the rubber matrix model (g) is accordingly defined as having incompressibility.
Therefore, in the part (or elements) of the rubber matrix model abutting the filler models (h), the rigidity of the rubber matrix model (g) is calculated as if it is higher than it really is, and thereby the simulation accuracy is decreased. This is also true in the case of a three-dimensional model using hexahedron elements as shown in FIG. 15.